#18 is too big for N scale though - even more so if it's Code 55 rail. #22 is PLENTY big for N scale feeders.
Nothing wrong with solid for feeders, it is much easier to nestle alonside the rail to get a good mechanical as well as solder joint. I can;t say I've ever had the track move - the track should be fastened down. ANd once it goes through the plywood, unless you are drilling 1/2" holes to fit a #22 wire (about, oh, 5-10x too big a hole), moving the weire underneath won't move the track.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Bell wire is 18. It is a pair of wires, usually one white and one red. It is solid which makes it easier to connect to screw posts, also easier to solder. I highly recommend bell wire for wiring DC blocks.For a DC block system you do not use a bus wire. Each block needs to have the wires run back to the block selector switch. Having a pair of wires is an advantage because you can keep track of polarity. Always hook the white wire to the far rail and the red to the near rail.
I hope this helps.
Bell wire is easy to find and inexpensive, but isn't it usually solid wire? Stranded is easier to work with and less likely to fail if it gets moved around. And on the feeders, it won't move your track around if you are underneath working and bump the wiring.
You should be able to find suitable stranded wire from an electronics supplier. A good home store or hardware might have some too.
Genesee Terminal, freelanced HO in Upstate NY ...hosting Loon Bay Transit Authority and CSX Intermodal. Interchange with CSX (CR)(NYC).
CP/D&H, N scale, somewhere on the Canadian Shield
OS CheyenneI'm not acquainted with Bell wire. Could you explain that? Are you recommending it over hook-up wire? What did you mean by the bolded section above? Do you think solid or stranded on the feeders?
Bell wire is simply that......Front door bell/chimes in Your house, that is the wire size they used and called it bell wire....18gauge. I said solid wire 24gauge for the feeders, because it is easier to solder to the rails, instead of twisting strands together, making sure You don't have a stray one, especially in N-scale. You should keep Your common rail and feeders for it, the same color.....along with Your block control wiring feeders and control same color. Two colors, instead of three. I always tagged the blocks feeders under the layout for the block control numbers to correspond to the switch control numbers, that I also put on them. Makes it a lot easier to track down problems. You can just put masking tape on the wire, like a flag with the block number on it. On My DPDT center off switches I used a ready made stick on numbers on the side of the switch. Makes life a lot easier with 45 blocks with 3 control panels. I got the numbers long ago from a Office supply store...I'm sure You can find a equivalent today. I run DC with both rails insulated, NOT common rail. Easy to switch to DCC if one wants to......but not Me.....not about to do that, at going on 75.
Good Luck on Your layout!
Frank
One of three control panels.....this one being the oldest....1983:
MisterBeasley 25 feet of wire will go very quickly. Save yourself the trouble of re-ordering and paying again for shipping and get 100 foot rolls. This is the time to decide on a wire color code to keep things neat and understandable beneath your layout. Most of us use red and black for the track bus, and the same color for feeders. I use blue, yellow and white for my structure lighting and street light buses, and of course green for wiring frogs.
25 feet of wire will go very quickly. Save yourself the trouble of re-ordering and paying again for shipping and get 100 foot rolls.
This is the time to decide on a wire color code to keep things neat and understandable beneath your layout. Most of us use red and black for the track bus, and the same color for feeders. I use blue, yellow and white for my structure lighting and street light buses, and of course green for wiring frogs.
I hadn't thought the wire would go that fast. I'll up my purchase amount.
Just as a side note, you mentioned color coding of the wire, I had come up with an idea for how to differentiate the wires. For example, white would be the common rail both bus and feeders. Blue wire would be the control rail bus, while red would be used for the control rail feeders. So, in other words, the common rail side has common colors while the control rail does not. I'm not sure as yet if I'll have much structure lighting.
Thanks for your help.
rrinker FOr bus wire it is easier to use strnaded. Will you be soldering the feeder to the bus?
FOr bus wire it is easier to use strnaded. Will you be soldering the feeder to the bus?
What makes it easier, that it is bigger and/or more flexible? Do you advise solid or stranded for the feeders?
I will be connecting the feeders to the bus with suitcase connectors. Does this make any difference to your recommendations?
Much appreciated.
zstripe In My neck of the woods,(Midwest) Bell wire was 18 gauge wire. You can use that and to make life a little easier, use 24 gauge wire for Your track feeders. Seeing as how You mention N- scale it will be easier, solid strand for that, stranded on the 18 if You can get it. Other posters mention a Bus, but being as how You mention DC wiring, You won't have one.
In My neck of the woods,(Midwest) Bell wire was 18 gauge wire. You can use that and to make life a little easier, use 24 gauge wire for Your track feeders.
Seeing as how You mention N- scale it will be easier, solid strand for that, stranded on the 18 if You can get it. Other posters mention a Bus, but being as how You mention DC wiring, You won't have one.
I'm not acquainted with Bell wire. Could you explain that? Are you recommending it over hook-up wire?
What did you mean by the bolded section above?
Do you think solid or stranded on the feeders?
I'm using the term bus as I've learned it from Andy Sperandeo's wiring book. I thought he meant it basically for any main wire. So yes, I'll be doing blocks.
And yes, I think I will be needing luck. Thanks for your input.
Your suggestions are all very helpful.
In My neck of the woods,(Midwest) Bell wire was 18 gauge wire. You can use that and to make life a little easier, use 24 gauge wire for Your track feeders. Seeing as how You mention N- scale it will be easier, solid strand for that, stranded on the 18 if You can get it. Other posters mention a Bus, but being as how You mention DC wiring, You won't have one. I'm assuming You will be having blocks. I have had a number of DC layouts using 18 gauge wire without a problem. DC is more forgiving in that than DCC, as long as You have enough feeders. Your track feeders are the 24 gauge wire about 6 inches long and Your block wiring is 18 gauge wire connected to Your feeders (24 Gauge) and daisy chained with the 18 gauge in a block depending on how long Your blocks are. My rule of thumb was one feeder for every flex track section of track in that block.
Good Luck, on Your Layout!
#22 will beplenty for N scale feeders. FOr bus wire it is easier to use strnaded. Will you be soldering the feeder to the bus? For that you should have a decent soldering gun, a small iron takes too long to heat up heavier wire. For feeder to rail, a conical tip iron of 30-45 watts should be fine. Keep the tip clean for best heat transfer and there should be no tie melting problems.
For that size layout, 18 gauge should suffice as a bus. I use it, and my layout in HO is bigger than that, and I have no problems. Some recommend #12 or even #10 for a track bus, but that's sufficient for a large club layout.
I use #22 wire for my feeders. The runs are short, and if you use a lot of feeders like you should, smaller wires are sufficient for the load.
25 feet of wire will go very quickly. Save yourself the trouble of re-ordering and paying again for shipping and get 100 foot rolls. This is the time to decide on a wire color code to keep things neat and understandable beneath your layout. Most of us use red and black for the track bus, and the same color for feeders. I use blue, yellow and white for my structure lighting and street light buses, and of course green for wiring frogs.
The conical tips are fine. Circuit board wiring will involve small wires and small pads in N scale, and you want to avoid using too much heat anyway. I have a cheap adjustable-heat iron that works fine for me.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The time has come to wire my first N scale 4x8 foot layout for DC wiring. I only have a few questions.
Any answers would be appreciated.
Thanks